The Long Road
by Noxid Anamchara
Summary: Daryl and Judith make their through the world after losing the only people they had left in it. They live to survive in a world where there's nothing left. And all Daryl can do is remember those he's lost. Hints at Caryl.
1. Nightmare

**Nox: **So I've ventured into a new world, where Daryl and Ass Kicker make their way amongst the dead, and the living. Hoping to survive when all they have is each other. And all Daryl can remember is those he's lost.

**Disclaimer: **The Walking Dead belongs to Kirkman and AMC.

* * *

Nightmare

"_Stay with Daryl," she said softly, brushing the tears from her cheeks. "Remember what I've told you. Don't you _ever _leave him." The girl nodded quickly, blinking her wide brown eyes. Her lip quivered but she didn't say nothin'. She pulled her arm back and stood up, reaching back through, toward him. _

"_You have to go," she said, brushing her fingers across his cheek. Just a ghost of a touch, cos she _knew_ how he felt 'bout touchin'. But now, it didn't matter. If the damn chain link fence wasn't standin' between them he might a pulled her to him, flush against his chest, in the hopes that he wouldn't have to lose her too. _

_Cos this was _not_ fuckin' happenin'. _

_But it was. _

Bang, Bang.

_She looked back, her blue eyes calmer than they should have been. She turned to him once more, smiling somethin' sad. "I know you'll protect her. Like you always been." She pulled her arms back through, and he watched as a single tear slipped down her haggard cheek. _

_She pulled her huntin' knife out of her pocket, the one he'd given her so long ago. It'd kept her safe, all this time. _

_She turned on them both, her back tall, shoulders straight. He watched as the walkers surrounded them, the only people he'd had left after all this time. _

"_You get her outta here Daryl! You keep her safe. Just like he always wanted us to." His friend, more like a brother, fired another shot into the oncoming walkers, backing closer to the fence. _

_He touched the fence, eyes softening as he took in the girl at his side. The moment was short-lived as he tore his gaze away and held his eyes firmly. _

"_Don't worry 'bout us! Go!" How could he have let this happen? Why'd he have to let it? _

_She lunged forward, a streak of white, silver-gray hair, and tattered blue-sweater, striking out at a walker that had gotten too close. "Go!" She yelled, her voice catching. _

_And he knew he couldn't waste their sacrifice. Couldn't watch them _die_ either. Her head turned, eyes finding them, as she pulled the blade from its skull. _

"_I l-"_

"Daryl!" He jerked awake, hand flying to the knife at his side. He bolted upright, swinging the blade outward.

And stopped.

Her wide brown eyes peered up at him, waiting, cautious as he held the knife just barely below her neck. The knife quivered with the energy it took for him to hold the swing at bay.

"Christ Jude!" He dropped it, and exhaled loudly, hands shaking just a little. He fisted'em, hoping to hide it from her.

But she didn't miss nothin'. Just like her Ma.

"You were havin' the sleep scare again," she said pointedly, eyes searching out his face. She'd always been observant. Picked that up from Carol.

"Nightmare," he said absently, rubbing at his temples. It was still dark out, and the fire was still burnin' low, which meant that he'd fallen asleep, _again_.

She scooted closer. "What's a nightmare?" He sighed and picked up the knife, moving it away from her. Now that the space next to him was open, she pulled herself into it, making herself comfortable.

She was always doing that. Gettin' close.

"It's sorta like…when you have these memories in your sleep, only they ain't memories. It's just shit your head makes up for ya, and it's scary and sad and ya wake up feelin' worse than when ya went ta bed." Her eyes went wide, those chocolate orbs takin' in everything he said. She was like a sponge, absorbing everything he said. He never noticed it before now, now that they were the only ones.

"You were scared _and_ sad?" He scowled, cursing his poor choice a words.

"Hell I ain't. I was just…" _Just what? Rememberin' shit ya wish ya could forget? _

"Rememberin' Carol?" She said softly, looking up at him from beneath her lashes. She'd gotten that look from Carol too. He looked at her, at her soft brown waves, fallin' over her shoulder, her wide brown eyes takin' in everything, and the set of her strong shoulders carryin' the weight of a world she shoulda never been born into without a mother.

But she'd had one, in everybody. _Especially_ her.

He sighed. "It ain't nothin'," he said, running his finger across the blade. And it couldn't be. He couldn't be sitting around, dwelling on the past. He had to move the hell on, had to be strong for those small hands, and her small feet, and those brown eyes that looked so much like Lori's he wondered when she was gonna start sassin' him instead followin' him around like a puppy. He had to take care of Judith, cos Rick had done right by him, and Carl had been a brother to him.

And now, it was just him an' her.

She studied his face for a moment before lookin down, fiddlin' with the grass between her legs. "You started mumblin', callin' her name."

He heaved another sigh, and ran a hand across the stubble on his face, and then through his hair. Since they'd lost them, the last of their group, things had been…rough. Especially on her. She was used to havin' her family around, people she go to when she wanted to talk, and laugh. He knew he weren't none a those things. She may a loved him just as much as the others, but they had somethin' different. He knew that.

"Come'ere." He opened up his arm, callin' her forward.

And then her face opened up, sudden emotion filling it. He could see the fear that she had been hiding behind the blank face she had started using so regularly around him. And instead of sitting beside him, she curled up in his lap, resting her head against his chest. He froze.

This was something he hadn't done in a long while, not since she were a baby. Once she got older he took over other duties. Teachin' her how to survive; how to hunt, how to make fire, how to _live_. He'd never been the one to hold her. Carol had always been the one to mother her, to rock her when she was upset, hold her when she was cold or needed comfort, to be the woman in her life.

_She ain't here though. _

"Yeah," he admitted, folding his arms around her tentatively. That feeling, of knowing that she weren't here no more, hit him square in the chest. Seized him up, as if he couldn't breathe. And he realized that he missed her just as much as Jude did.

"Listen Jude." She looked up at him, intent on his words.

"You know I'd never leave ya." Her innocent eyes never blinked as they started to shine. He noticed she weren't breathin' either.

"No matter what happens," he said, wrapping an arm around her tight, brushing at her cheek with his fingers, "it's you 'n me." She closed her eyes then, letting her head fall to his chest, as she released the breath she was holdin'. She buried her face in his shirt, her hands gripping him tight. He could feel her heart beating fast against him.

"Just like your brother," she mumbled against him.

He smiled. That was a tale she loved to hear, when he and Merle had escaped from the prison called Woodbury and his brother had almost died to save him. He'd told her then that Merle was always talkin' bout how it was always _you an' me_. Somehow, she got the wrong picture of Merle. But he didn't have the heart to correct her.

Merle'd been long gone since then anyhow.

Watchin' her, fall asleep against him, he couldn't help but notice just how much of a kid she really was. Six years in a world gone to hell, and she still weren't meant for it. Not that Carol would have wanted her too, but he knew that Jude needed to know how ta survive in it. And she did, he 'sposed, she just weren't meant for the death of it all. The way people just came and _left_. As if they didn't have no choice in the matter.

And most days, ya didn't.

"_I love you." He couldn't tell who she was lookin' at, him or Jude. But maybe that was the point. Maybe, she loved'em both. Carol was like that, always doin' shit that she knew he hated, when in fact, he didn't. Maybe she knew _that_ too. _

"_Carol!" Jude slammed against the fence, the tears streamin' down her face. She shook the metal hard, makin' more noise than she knew she should have been. _

"_Brother," she whimpered. Carl never looked back, but Daryl watched as his head tipped down for a moment, the gun suddenly heavy in his hands. _

"_Take care of our ass kicker," Carol said softly, attempting a smile. And he could still heard her, over the drownin' moan of the walkers, and the clangin' of the metal fence. _

_But it was the soft blue of her eyes that told him everything. _

_He snatched Jude up into his arms, as she wailed and hollered and threw her small fists against his back, and ran. Those fists, the small ache as each one pounded into his back kept him lookin' forward, kept his head focused, kept him from thinkin' bout those soft blues. Because he had to keep her safe. Had to keep her alive in this world of despair. _

_He had to make sure that everything he did, he did for them. _

Thump, Thump, Thump

_He ran, and never looked back._

* * *

**A/N: **What is supposed to be Daryl and Jude, is also the story of the group. How they came to pass through Jude's life. Or how they never made it into it. I hope you'll stay along.


	2. Brother

**Nox:** Let Daryl and Jude guide us into a world of chapter is a combination of things that are graphic enough to warrant a warning.

**Disclaimer**: The Walking Dead belongs to Kirkman and AMC.

**Warning**: Intense Graphic Violence

* * *

Brother

"_Get everyone outta here," he said, voice low, eyes flashing back and forth. They needed to get out of there, and fast. Turned out, the group weren't no do-goodin' house warmers. They were killers, hunters, raiders. _

_Monsters. _

"_Hell if I'm leavin' ya," he said, grippin' his trusty weapon tight. Brown eyes squinted even further at him. _

"_Forget it. I only trust you to keep everyone safe, beyond the encampment. I'll bring up the rear, keep the guards busy if I have to." He pointed round, showin' the places he meant. Escape points, ones he'd noticed himself. _

"_I know you can find your way out of here, better than any of us. We need you for that. I can take care of the rest." He gripped Daryl's arm, hard, reassuring them both. _

"_Trust me." _

_Daryl grunted, shifted on his feet, but finally nodded. Glenn was good when it came to plans. He'd never argue with that. Daryl never much cared for makin'em, but he sure as hell was good at carryin'em through. "Ain't never trusted no one like you 'fore so count yaself lucky." Glenn smirked. _

"_You mean a 'Chinaman'?" Daryl grinned back, thinking on all the things that they had been through, on just what that name meant to them. _

"_Nah, a brother." The surprise on Glenn's face was good enough for him. He clapped him on the shoulder, and turned to go. He'd already agreed to the plan before there was even a discussion. _

"_Daryl?" he turned back to Glenn, checking to make sure he had his knife, extra arrows, and his supplies. He nodded, waiting for whatever Glenn wanted. The silence that stretched between them suddenly made him nervous. He didn't like the look that crossed Glenn's face, didn't like the way it made him feel. _

"_Take care of Maggie for me, no matter what happens." He studied him for a moment, didn't like the tigthenin' in his stomach. He could already feel his heart startin' to race with adrenaline. _

"_Just keep yer ass safe, so I don't hear it from Maggie." He clapped Glenn on the shoulder and stalked away in the dark. "Cos I sure as hell ain't gonna be nobody else's baby daddy."_

_Glenn chuckled as Daryl hurried off. _

"Daryl, do you see that?" Jude shouted over the roar of the engine, and cuttin' off the memory. She was pointin' to somethin' far off, somethin' he couldn't see well enough to make out. He thought it looked like a group of people, but it could just as well 'ave been a herd.

"Can't take the chance Jude," he grunted, eyes still on the road, not turnin' round. "Know that." He felt her squeeze him round the middle, tight. She laid her head against his back and he felt her chest push against his, as she took a deep breath.

He hated havin' ta do that to her. Rippin' apart the hope that maybe, somethin' or someone else was out there, just like they were.

But he knew better. Knew better'n to think that everyone was like them. Once the world went to shit, an' the dead started eatin' people, it was like everyone thought it was okay to just be assholes.

To just start bein' _monsters._

"I know," he heard her mumble, "I just…" He rested a hand against hers and squeezed it gently. But no matter how much she may a wanted it to be people, he'd never take that chance. Not never _again_. They'd made that mistake too many times in the past, an' they'd _paid_ fer it. Paid for it with blood an' sacrifice, an' tears. He weren't gonna take that chance.

He took a breath, and stared out at the empty expanse around him. The rumble of the Bonneville fillin' his ears as he tuned Jude out for a moment.

It was odd, feelin' her small frame against his back instead a _hers_. He couldn't shake the feelin' it gave him. That he'd lost somethin'. That there was a hole in the middle a his chest. Weren't right. But it didn't matter how he felt 'bout it. Judith was his to protect. She was _his_ now. She came first an' he weren't gonna put her in danger, not for nothin'. There weren't no question about that. He'd already lost enough people, and that was that.

Didn't stop the hole in his chest from tryin' to consume him some days.

But Judith was all he had left. He'd be _damned_ if he couldn't keep her safe.

"I wish we didn't have to be alone," she muttered softly. Damn thing was he felt the same way. Wouldn't never admit it to nobody, but hell if he didn't miss everybody as well. Jude could just say it.

"Best thing for us Jude," he said gruffly, pushin' back those emotions.

She didn't say nothin', just kept her head on his back.

"I know," she finally said.

"But," she said, lookin' up, her eyes findin' that horizon again, seekin' out the group that neither of them knew what was. "But what if theys could help us." She pulled up on his shoulders, making the bike swerve, lookin' for his eyes. She never faltered, not even when the bike tipped dangerously to the side. He couldn't help that he just _loved_ how fearless she was in that moment. How much trust she had in him. It was contagious.

"Whoa girl!" He felt a chuckle slip past him, even though he knew he'd have to crush her hopes.

"What if there are other _kids_, like me?" Her eyes, lookin' down on him, were so full of hope, he _almost_ said yes. Cos he knew how much she wanted to be round other kids her age, knew how much she needed to talk and play and just _be _with them.

But he turned back to the road, his gut twistin', and shook his head, no.

"Not this time." Not _ever_. They wouldn't ever be able to stop for no one, or nothing. As long as it was just him an' her, he would keep on movin', keep goin' passed all the things that could want, crush the dreams that she might have, make her see, _learn_, that this life was the one she had.

"_Run!" Glenn's voice, panicked, stricken, echoed out around the campsite, which was slowly comin' to life. He could hear the voices, the anger, and he knew they were in fuckin' trouble. _

_He turned to Carl. "Take yer sister," he said passin' little ass kicker off to him, as she started to cry. She weren't yet old enough to walk, and even if she was, she'd be too slow. Carl'd gotten some legs on'im, just like his dad. Still a scrawny ass thing, but he could pull his own weight, and take charge when he was needed. Mostly, he just took care of the group, took care a his sister, and kept to himself. _

"_Keep tha group movin'," he whispered, pushin' Carl ahead. He nodded, gripped Judith tight. _

"_Where are you going?" He notched an arrow, and checked for his knife one last time. He looked Carol in the face, and saw the worry clear in her blue eyes. He hated seein' that. _

"_Glenn's in trouble," he grunted, hopin' he could tell her without sayin' it, just how much. Carol looked back at Maggie, her hands grippin' the bag at her side tight. _

_She pursed her lips, bitin' the bottom one. She'd been doin' that a lot lately, chewin' her lip raw. He reached out, runnin' his fingers across her jaw, gentle and quick. It was something new, awakening in him. He'd knew it was bold of him to touch her like that, but he didn't want her to worry herself like that. _

"_I'll be alright," he said softly, brushin' his finger across her lip, pullin' it loose from her teeth. Somethin' flickered across her eyes, but he didn't have no time to wonder at it. _

"_Gotta go Carol," Carl called, bouncin' Judith on his knee as he crouched to the ground, his machete held in the other hand firmly. Maggie waited behind him, a few bags slung over her shoulders. He could see by the look on her face that she was scared. _

_Beth waited behind her. _

"_Here Carl," she said holding her hands out. He passed her Judith, a grateful look passing between the two. _

"_I'll bring'em back," he said and took off. _

_He moved through the camp, listenin' to the sound of the voices, as they started to grow louder the closer he moved to the center. He could feel his blood startin' to boil, feelin' lightheaded. Someone was talkin', chantin'. He got that same feelin' he had, when he an' Merle had been at Woodbury, an' the motherfuckin' Governor had set them on each other like some damn Gladiators. _

_The hairs on the back a his neck stood up, and he moved fast, rounded the corner of a tent, and froze. _

Thwack

_He stood stunned, unable to do anything. It was like his limbs had locked up on him. _

"_Maggie!" _

Whack

_But the sound of Glenn's voice, calling out to the only woman he loved in this screwed up world pushed him to action. It was desperate, and pained, and _lost.

"_Glenn!" _

_He rushed forward, the anger and the hatred and the pain buldin' up so quick, he couldn't do nothin' _but_ charge forward._

"_Mag-" _

Thuck

"_Glenn!" _

_And he stopped, in the middle of a group of 'Saviors'. The goddamn _monsters _that they'd been running from. The goddamn men who'd taken them, offered them a home, and then pulled the rug right out from under their feet. _

"_Lucille's a mighty fine woman, ain't she now." _

Thuck, Thwack

_He couldn't tear his eyes away as that fuckin' sonuvabitch, that motherless prick just kept beatin' on Glenn. And beatin' and beatin' and _beatin'_. Till there weren't nothin' left a Glenn but skin and bones, and blood and brains. _

_Glenn. A man he'd come ta trust, to put his life on tha line for. He'd a given up a lot for Glenn. He was a part a the group. He was his friend. He was family. _

_He was his _brother_. _

_And Daryl, he'd never felt this way 'fore, but he wanted to throw up, right then, right there. He wanted to die, he wanted to fuckin' kill somebody, he wanted to make them _hurt_. _

_But he turned and ran, he _ran, _cos there were too many a the Saviors to fight by hisself, and Rick and Michonne weren't back yet, and he'd made a promise to Glenn. _

_He'd made a promise to keep Maggie safe. And he couldn't do that if he were killed too. So he ran, ran away from his friend, ran away from his brother. _

_And the feel a turnin' his back on his _brother_, even if he were dead, twisted his gut like a hot knife drivin' inta him. _

_And he knew he'd never get the look a Glenn, lyin' there, his brown eyes starin' up at him, outta his mind._

* * *

**A/N**: Things were borrowed. But this is obviously my own interpretation of things.


	3. Sunlight

**Nox: **I like my Jaryl, compared to others. Everyone has this special bond set up between them already, like they've been spending so much time together. But Daryl hasn't been in the prison enough for that to happen, and Beth and Carol are the ones who spend the most time with her. So I like to think my take on them is _different_.

**Disclaimer: **The Walking Dead belongs to Kirkman and AMC.

* * *

Sunlight

"_I don't think we have much time left," he said, in that slow drawl of his that always made Daryl wish he had had a father like him. Sometimes the man really did have a way to make people listen. Course, he'd never tell Hershel that. _

_The four of them were huddled in the corner of the cell block, shouldered in close. _

"_I agree," Rick said, looking around at the group. "It don't feel right. Been too quiet. If that assholes gonna make his move, he's gonna do it while he thinks we're not lookin'." He looked over at Carl, who was talking quietly with Beth, a smile working its way on his face. _

"_We need to prepare ourselves, in case he decides to make a move." Glenn nodded in agreement, his eyes finding Maggie, who stood off to the side with Carol. They were smiling and playing with Judith, their faces lit up, happy. _

"_You're sure he'll come?" Glenn asked, worry in his eyes. Rick and Hershel looked at each, but didn't speak. Rick _knew _he would come. After his _chat_ with the man, there wasn't a question as to 'if'. It was a matter of when. _

"_Then we need to be ready," Daryl announced, crossing his arms. "Ain't that what we do? We dealt with people 'fore." Rick connected with Hershel, and then looked back at Daryl and nodded. _

_"But we keep this to _ourselves_," and Rick glanced around, at the women in the prison. "Don't need to panic everyone."_ _They all nodded in agreement. _

"_I'll make sure Carol has some medical supplies, things for Judith," Hershel said, eyes watching the girls. "Just in case," he said softly. He hobbled off, and Glenn followed him. Rick clapped Daryl on the shoulder and went over to Carl, talking down to him. _

_But Daryl didn't move, because Carol was watching him now, Judith passed off to Maggie, while Hershel talked to her. _

_She had that look on her face, like she knew exactly what was happening. He told himself he'd be ready for it, when the time came. Told himself that he wouldn't worry bout her. _

_But he _always_ worried about her. _

"Daryl," she said, inspecting the open wound. She poked at it, softly, like she'd never seen anything like it before. "What are ya gonna do about it?" He watched her curious face. He was glad she wasn't disgusted by it, else he would a had another problem on his hands. Least she'd gotten somethin' right.

He sat silent for a moment, thinking on it. He'd been a fuckin' idiot, lettin' himself get hurt like this. He needed to be at his best, to take care a Judith. She weren't an ass kicker yet but he planned to make one of her. And now he had a gash runnin' across his leg, between his knee and ankle. Blood ran down his ankle, and it hurt like hell.

That's what he got for trying to squeeze between too many cars, letting his leg hang off the bike to balance them. He should a left well enough alone and gone around the cars. But then they'd have wasted gas and daylight.

Then he looked up, to hear something that she was saying and missed the scrap of metal jutting out from a car; jagged and sharp. Slid right across his damn leg, and he couldn't stop the hiss as it escaped passed his lips. He thought Jude was gonna bust a blood vessel she was so worried for a moment.

He just couldn't fuckin' win.

He studied the wound, while Judith watched his face closely. The best he could do would be to put a few stitches in it, and wrap it up. He thought he still had a bottle of whiskey in his bag on the bike, but it'd been a while since he'd checked.

"Jude, in my saddlebags," he said, gesturing at the Triumph. She jumped up, eager to help.

She'd been that way, ever since they'd passed up the people she'd seen on the road. Eager to please, eager to work, eager to learn.

Eager to be a part of everything.

She wanted to learn _more_. It was like she suddenly had this hunger, and she needed to know what he knew. He was wondering if he could keep up with her. She had all these question suddenly that he was starting to wonder if Carol hadn't talked to her about. Things she would a discussed with her brother.

He was starting to get worried he wasn't going to have the right answers.

She pulled open the flap, and turned to him, waiting. "See if I've got a bottle a Jack in there." Her brows furrowed but she started rummaging around.

Pulled out his now very small stash a drugs, and made face before setting them on the ground beside her. He remembered Carol explaining is some small detail what each and every one was, by the words on them, and color. He was glad she had. Then she pulled out the bottle a water, some jerky, the magazine of skins he never got rid, that were really Merle's. He groaned.

"What is-"

"_Just_ find the Jack." She raised an eyebrow at him, pursing her lips, biting the bottom one, and he was hit by the familiarity of that look. He felt his heart twist, and he swallowed hard. _Carol_ used to give him that look. He was really starting to realize just how much she picked up from Carol.

"Here," she said holding out the bottle of alcohol, looking like she'd seen a ghost. He gripped it by the neck, letting his fingers graze over the back of her hand. He held his finger against the back of her hand.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, eyes lingering on hers. Her lids dropped, shading her eyes, and she shifted on her feet. She pulled her hand back, and sniffed.

"Judy," he said, soft, reaching out to take her hand, pulling her closer. He didn't usually call her by that, because it has always been Carol's name for her. Had always been something between _them_. He'd not wanted to step on that, didn't want to make her sadder than she already was.

"What's wrong?" She picked her head up, and pulled her hand from behind her back.

She had Carol's head wrap in her hand, holding it loosely. It was dirty now, fraying at the edges, holes all over the place. It had seen better days.

"This was Carol's," she muttered, pulling it close to her body, bending her head low to breathe it in. She closed her eyes and he saw a few tears fall down her cheeks. And then she pulled the picture out, the one he'd wrapped the scarf around.

"And this was Carl's." She barely managed to choke it out, before she hiccupped. It was a picture of Rick, Lori and Carl, taken long before shit had hit the fan. Carl'd gotten it on a run once, back when they'd still been at the prison. It was faded, bent, graying. But you could still see the loving family in the picture.

He cursed. He weren't good at this stuff. The girl's had always been the ones to wipe those tears away, to hug her close, to make her feel better. Hell, even Carl knew how to do that shit.

"Shit," he muttered, rubbing a hand across his face, rolling his shoulders. She buried her face in the wrap, and he watched her shoulders shake, no sound coming outta her.

It felt like a knife was being twisted in his gut. He either needed to figure out how to comfort her, or he just had to tell her to suck it up. Neither of which he wanted, or knew how to do.

He sighed. Watching her struggle with the grief of losing the two people she'd known the longest in her life, he knew he definitely wasn't going to tell her to suck it up.

"Come'ere Ass Kicker," he said softly, using _his _old nickname, and pulled her into his lap. She didn't protest. Just curled her legs to her chest, put her head on his shoulder. She stared down at the picture in her hands, fingers tracing over the faces he knew she could barely recognize now, the one she'd never known.

"I miss her Daryl," she said, the tears falling silently now, "I miss my _brother_," she sniffed, her fingers tracing over Carl's face now, young and innocent in a photo that looked like another world.

He wrapped his arm around her, setting his chin on her head, taking a deep breath.

"I know Jude, but it's how the world works." She leaned back, looking up at him with those big brown eyes of hers that were rimmed red.

She cocked an eyebrow. "What?" he asked. She smiled a little and fingered the cloth. "Carol was always better at this stuff." He grunted and knocked his forehead with hers. Her smile broadened.

"Yer a smart girl Jude. You gonna figure out one day that I ain't nothin' but a stupid old redneck who can't do nothin' but hunt an' kill walkers." She looked confused, and he couldn't help the way his chest tightened at the way her brow furrowed.

"What's a redneck?" He laughed then, the action shaking her body. He looked her in the face, brushed the hair out of her eyes and then did something he'd not done before.

He leaned forward and brushed his lips across her forehead.

She took it like it was something he'd been doing her whole life, the smile lighting up her face.

"Carol was right you know," she said, playing with one of his buttons now, "you are sweet."

He could feel the blush rising on his face. But it felt at odds with the heaviness in his chest. And he didn't know what to do or say, so he just grunted, cleared his throat and pulled the wrap from her hands and put it around her neck.

"You want the picture, or should I hold onto it?" She held it in her hands, fingers playing with the edges.

"You should, just in case," she said finally, looking up to meet his gaze. She went to hand it back to him, but he pushed it away, shaking his head.

"Put it back where ya got it." She jumped up, went for the saddlebags again.

"I got some needle and thread in my bags, don't I?" She looked back, and nodded. "Bring'em here then." She rifled through his things, her eyes lighting up when she found them, and he could see that some of the weight was gone from her eyes when walked back to him.

"Carol showed ya how to thread, didn't she?" Judith nodded, lips pressed tight together. "Well _she _learned from this old man, few years back. Had only one leg," and he smiled as her eyes popped open.

"Poppop," she whispered. He wasn't all that surprised that she referred to old farmer as her Paw, but he was glad she knew him as family. Even if she'd never met him before.

"Yeah, well, Carol learned it all from _him_." Judith's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"With one leg?" He chuckled and patted the space next to his leg.

"You'd be surprised what 'Poppop' could do with just one leg," he said solemnly.

"_You've got to go," he said, waving them all off. Beth rushed forward, crashing into Hershel, the sobs starting to break from her. _

"_No daddy, you can make it. We'll help you," she begged. But he just shook his head, shifting on the crutches so that he could wrap an arm around her. _

"_No Bethie," he said sadly, looking at Maggie as he placed his cheek on her head. "I'll only hold ya back." Maggie rushed forward into her father's arms, her own cries bursting forth. Glenn stood back, his face falling as Hershel's choice crashed over him. _

"_You don't have to do this," he whispered harshly. _

_Daryl could barely make out what was going on. There was too much gunfire, too many walkers, too many men running around. The Governor had made good on his promise, to come for them. _

_And there was Carol, with ass kicker clasped to her chest. Juditch was crying, but Carol was doing her best to keep those cries quiet. _

"_Daryl, what's going on?" He heard the walkers before he saw them. Four of them came hobbling around a bend of trees, out of the shadows. _

"_It's the doc," he said hoarsely. Her eyes went wide. And she knew immediately what he was talking about, what he meant. _

"_Can you get to them?" she asked, but she must have seen the look in his eyes because she reached out and grasped his arm, softly. _

"_Then…" She struggled to say the words, and Judith cried out again. She rocked back and forth softly, shushing her. _

_He took down two of the walkers and watched as Glenn pulled Maggie and Beth out of Hershel's arms, and into the smoke and shadows of the trees. Rick appeared, gun hanging uselessly at his side. _

"_Hershel," he said gravely. And a moment passed between the men. But Hershel just shook his head, and smiled sadly. _

"_You have to go," he shouted. Hershel took a few more steps, and then collapsed to the ground, breathing heavy. Rick hesitated for only a moment, and then took off. _

"_Daryl!" He looked back, Carol already moving far ahead of him. _

_Gunfire exploded around him, and he saw more walkers making their way. He couldn't get to the old man. _

_And his last image was of Hershel looking up through trees, peaceful, as the fading sunlight shone down on him, the gunfire tearing into him._

* * *

**A/N: **Hershel has become one of my favorites. And I hate to see him go.


End file.
